Chapter 108: A Strained Master-Disciple Relationship

If Ming Chen’s earlier attitude could still be considered sarcastic and sly, then now it could only be described as outright rebellion. Any local from the Azure Sky Realm witnessing this scene would surely find it unbelievable—something that only happens in plays and stories.

After all, the Azure Sky Realm is a world where martial cultivation reigns supreme. Here, the bond between master and disciple is closer and more loyal than that of father and son. With Ming Chen’s demeanor, regardless of whether his master was a demon path sovereign or even the kindest, most righteous figure, it was likely they would have broken his leg on the spot.

Yet, Chu Hanyu refrained from rebuttal or scolding; his expression only darkened slightly.

Instead, Ming Chen, provoked by Chu Hanyu’s silence, grew more reckless in his words: “What’s wrong? Lost for words now? Weren’t you just here to question why I was so eager to hold the master-disciple ceremony for Fifth Junior Brother? Fine, I’ll tell you! I want Fifth Junior Brother to be officially recognized as your disciple as soon as possible!”

Chu Hanyu’s brow furrowed, clearly about to speak, but Ming Chen cut him off without hesitation: “What’s wrong with that? Isn’t it good? Letting him quickly become your shield!”

The moment he uttered the words “shield,” Chu Hanyu’s pupils contracted, and anger flared across his face. His voice turned cold: “Silence! Do you even know what you’re saying?”

“Don’t know what I’m saying?” Ming Chen laughed wider, his eyes reddened, making him look like a mad jester—or perhaps a man driven to the brink of madness. “It’s you who doesn’t know what you’re doing!”

Chu Hanyu twitched his fingers, yet ultimately did nothing.

“Oh, I was wrong!” Ming Chen suddenly contradicted himself. “Of course you know what you’re doing. When Third Junior Brother was attacked, you weren’t there either, right? How ironic—you weren’t there!”

The expression on Chu Hanyu’s face was like a knife thrust into an unguarded moment; he had not expected such words from Ming Chen.

Seeing this expression, a surge of satisfaction rose within Ming Chen. “Before, your shield was just the Eldest Senior Brother. Now you have several of us! Plus Fifth Junior Brother—you should feel even safer, shouldn’t you? After all, you are a sovereign who has taken the future of the entire Azure Sky Realm upon yourself! When we disciples sacrifice our lives for the realm, won’t you be so happy you’ll want to offer prayers to the ancestors? Speaking of which, when Fifth Junior Brother was in danger in the Ten-Thousand Mountains, where were you? You seemed to be right beside him! Or… was he caught in your scheme?”

“Of course! Whether or not it was your doing, Fifth Junior Brother adores you immensely. Even if you ordered him to die for you, he wouldn’t even frown. He’d look at you with innocent joy, feeling he’s finally repaid your grace! And you? All you have to do is come back at the last moment, just like with Eldest Senior Brother, wear a face of deep sorrow, carry his corpse back to the Great Freedom Heaven Demon Sect. So simple. Then you can calmly face your grand cosmic calamity. Isn’t that a perfect arrangement?”

Having delivered this tirade, Ming Chen paused as he saw Chu Hanyu’s expression falter. The pleasure faded, yet his smile remained, never revealing an ounce of weakness before his master.

“Who is that expression for? You’ve always been so happy to contribute to the Azure Sky Realm, haven’t you? Sacrificing the few for the many! As a demon sovereign, you place the realm’s safety above the lives of your disciples… How noble of you!”

The night passed without further words.

Zhang Ning, unaware of the events that unfolded the previous night at the exact moment he had instructed Yu Zhong, awoke early, stirred by a pressing urgency within.

Sometimes, people can wake without an alarm when their hearts are burdened with pressing matters. Even someone like Zhang Ning, who often found it difficult to rise, sat up instantly without hesitation.

After washing and dressing neatly, Zhang Ning took a deep breath and opened his long-neglected livestream.

His eyes sparkled as if on a sudden whim, and he greeted the audience: “Hi everyone, I’m Zhang Ning. It’s really been a long time. I’ve missed you all so much! I’ve been pretty bored lately because…”

Those who had longed for Zhang Ning’s return, waiting day and night, nearly losing their minds at the notification, flooded into the stream, sending its popularity soaring instantly.

The most frequent message flooding the screen was:

“Ahhhh, Your Highness!!!”

Though Zhang Ning’s identity had long been spread far and wide, accompanied by the Great Freedom Heaven Demon Sect’s extravagant and somewhat reckless acts on his behalf, his name had become well-known among various factions. Once the master-disciple ceremony took place—even just its initial half—Zhang Ning’s fame spread from the circles of sects to ordinary households. Coupled with his previous approachable livestream style, his popularity remained enduring, elevating him to a status where everyone in the world seemed to know him. His visibility and attention surged once again.

However, Zhang Ning was stunned shortly after speaking. Previously, his livestream was triggered by the “Fifth Prince’s shock over the loss of a disciple in the Great Freedom Heaven Demon Sect due to non-combat reasons and his sorrowful wish to teach wilderness survival skills,” so tipping was disabled. Zhang Ning was not the type to keep tipping closed due to pride; he understood the power of the masses and valued communication. This time, he had enabled tipping from the start but had not anticipated the overwhelming speed and volume of gifts—an array of dazzling notifications that nearly overwhelmed his expression.

Zhang Ning had two fan leaderboards: one VIP version shown in the system, and another public version linked to the Xiao Zizai client made by Su Ye. The public leaderboard was cascading wildly with constant changes.

Yet, despite the frenzy of “fans” (Zhang Ning wasn’t sure if these tippers were truly fans or had other motives to gain recognition), the top spot on the VIP leaderboard, representing those who gifted “Cosmic Path Energy,” remained firmly held by one person—visible only to Zhang Ning but burning like a fiery blaze on his chest, filling him with a joyful warmth that almost felt painfully heartfelt.